If your child struggles with reading or writing, talking with their teacher can help you understand their academic challenges and identify ways to support them. Knowing which questions to ask can help you learn which skills your child has mastered, where they need additional support, and whether further assessment or specialized instruction may be beneficial.
Children with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, and other learning challenges may experience difficulties with decoding, reading fluency, spelling, writing, or completing assignments independently. A productive conversation with your child’s teacher can help you better understand these challenges and explore appropriate next steps.
Below are 10 important questions to ask your child’s teacher about reading and writing difficulties, along with guidance on understanding your child’s progress and determining what support may help.
1. Is My Child Reading at Grade Level?
An important question to ask your child’s teacher is how your child’s reading skills compare to grade-level expectations.
Reading involves multiple skills, including phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Your child may demonstrate strengths in some aspects of reading while struggling in other areas.
For instance, some children can understand stories read aloud to them but struggle to comprehend text when reading independently. Others may read words accurately but struggle to process the information they read.
You may want to ask your child’s teacher:
- Is my child reading on grade level?
- Does my child struggle with decoding words?
- Is my child reading fluently?
- Does my child understand what they read independently?
- Have any assessments been used to measure my child’s reading progress?
By understanding your child’s current reading level and identifying areas of difficulty, you can help determine whether specialized instruction or intervention may be beneficial for them.
If your child is falling behind in reading, learn more about at When Should a Child Get a Reading Tutor? Orlando & Boca Raton Guide.
2. Could My Child’s Reading Difficulties Be Signs of Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disability that primarily affects reading and writing. Children with dyslexia often struggle to connect letters with sounds, decode words accurately, and read words automatically.
Some common signs of dyslexia include:
- Trouble sounding out words
- Slow reading
- Frequent spelling errors
- Trouble grasping letter-sound relationships
- Difficulty with writing
- Avoidance of reading
During the conversation with your child’s teacher, ask whether they have noticed any of the above challenges. You might also ask whether your child would benefit from additional reading intervention or a comprehensive evaluation.
Although teachers can often identify early warning signs, a formal evaluation is typically needed to determine whether a child has dyslexia.
Early identification and targeted, research-based instruction can make a significant difference in helping your child develop stronger reading skills.
Learn more about choosing the right tutoring program for a child with dyslexia and finding instruction that addresses their reading difficulties at How to Choose the Right Tutoring Program for a Child with ADHD or Dyslexia.
3. How Is My Child Performing in Writing?
Successful writing depends on a range of skills, including coming up with ideas, organizing thoughts, creating sentences, using correct spelling and punctuation, and communicating ideas clearly.
For a student with a reading or writing learning disability, writing can be very challenging. Some children struggle to write well-structured sentences, while others have difficulty organizing their paragraphs or developing essays. Children with dysgraphia may experience difficulties with handwriting, spelling, and other aspects of writing.
During the conversation, ask your child’s teacher:
- Can my child write complete sentences independently?
- Does my child struggle to organize their ideas into paragraphs?
- Does my child have difficulty with essay writing?
- Are spelling and grammar difficulties affecting my child’s writing?
- Does my child struggle to get started on writing tasks?
- Is my child’s written work in line with their verbal ideas?
Some students can explain concepts clearly when speaking but struggle to express their ideas in writing. These students may benefit from research-based writing intervention.
Identifying the parts of writing that are difficult for your child can help you find the right instruction for them.
4. Is My Child Struggling With Reading Comprehension?
Reading comprehension involves more than just decoding words on a page. Students must identify important details, make inferences, connect ideas, make predictions, and remember what they have read.
Some children can read words accurately but struggle to understand the meaning of what they read. Others may have strong auditory comprehension but have difficulties understanding written text because of the extensive effort they exert decoding words on the page.
Ask your child’s teacher:
- Can my child identify the main idea of a passage?
- Can my child grasp important details from a passage?
- Can my child make inferences?
- Does my child understand grade-level vocabulary?
- Does my child understand a passage better when it is read aloud?
These questions can help distinguish between difficulties with word reading and challenges with comprehension.
Specialized reading tutoring can help students build their decoding, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary skills.
5. Is My Child Struggling With Spelling?
Many students who have dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities struggle with spelling.
Some children have difficulties remembering spelling patterns, applying phonics rules, or recognizing the correct sequence of letters within words. These challenges can affect their writing fluency and make written tasks particularly challenging.
Ask your child’s teacher whether your child makes frequent spelling errors or has trouble applying previously learned spelling patterns when writing.
It’s also helpful to gauge whether your child’s spelling difficulties occur mainly with unfamiliar words or if they extend to words they use often.
Structured, systematic spelling tutoring that explicitly teaches sound-letter relationships, spelling patterns, and word structure can help your child develop these skills.
6. Are Executive Functioning Difficulties Affecting My Child’s Schoolwork?
Executive functioning skills help children plan, organize, initiate, and finish academic tasks.
Children with ADHD and learning disabilities often struggle with executive functioning skills, making reading and writing assignments particularly challenging. For example, a child may have great ideas but struggles to organize these ideas, create an outline, or finish the writing assignment within the allotted time.
Likewise, a student may have trouble maintaining their focus while reading, remembering directions, or identifying key information from a passage.
You may want to ask your child’s teacher:
- Does my child have trouble starting their reading or writing assignments?
- Can my child follow multi-step directions?
- Can my child organize their writing effectively?
- Does my child often leave assignments unfinished?
- Does my child need frequent reminders to stay on task?
If executive functioning weaknesses are affecting your child’s academic performance, targeted executive functioning coaching can help your child develop their planning, organization, time management, and task completion skills.
7. Which Reading and Writing Interventions Is My Child Receiving at School?
If your child is struggling, it’s important to find out what support is already being provided to them at school.
Some students receive small-group reading instruction, extra writing support, or other academic interventions at school. Children with learning disabilities may also receive specialized instruction through an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Ask your child’s teacher:
- Which interventions are currently being used to help my child develop their reading and writing skills?
- How often does my child receive additional instruction?
- Are these interventions individualized to my child’s specific needs?
- Has my child demonstrated growth in their skills?
You may also want to ask whether the interventions use explicit, systematic, evidence-based instruction. If your child has dyslexia or struggles with reading, you can ask if Orton Gillingham instruction is being provided to them.
Learning about the support your child is receiving at school can help you determine whether they need additional instruction.
Learn more about what makes Orton Gillingham tutoring effective for students who struggle with reading at What Makes Orton Gillingham Tutoring Effective? - Knowledge Plus Tutoring.
8. Is My Child Making Meaningful Academic Progress?
Your child may be receiving additional academic support but is still struggling to make meaningful progress.
During your conference, ask for specific information about your child’s academic growth.
You might ask:
- Have my child’s decoding skills improved?
- Is my child reading more fluently now than earlier in the school year?
- Has my child’s spelling improved?
- Can my child write more independently and effectively?
You can also ask to see examples of your child’s recent work and any assessment results.
Comparing your child’s current performance with their earlier work can give you helpful insight as to whether the current interventions they are receiving are effective.
If your child’s progress has been limited, you may want to reconsider the instructional approach, the intensity of instruction, or the need for further evaluation.
9. How Can I Help My Child With Reading and Writing at Home?
As a parent, you play an important role in supporting your child’s academic development. Ask your child’s teacher which skills would be most helpful to reinforce at home and how you can practice them without creating additional stress.
Some strategies you can reinforce at home might include:
- Reading together and discussing important details and information from the text
- Practicing specific phonics or spelling rules
- Using graphic organizers to plan writing ideas
- Breaking longer writing tasks into smaller, more manageable steps
- Encouraging your child to articulate their ideas verbally before writing
- Establishing consistent homework routines
Try to reinforce your child’s skills while helping them develop confidence and a more positive attitude toward learning.
10. When Should I Consider Reading or Writing Tutoring for My Child?
An important question to ask the teacher is whether your child would benefit from additional individualized tutoring.
Children with learning disabilities often need more direct, systematic, multi-sensory instruction than what they receive in class.
Specialized tutoring can help your child develop their reading and writing skills in a targeted manner. For example, if your child has dyslexia, they may benefit from structured, multi-sensory reading tutoring using the Orton Gillingham approach. If your child struggles with writing, they may need direct instruction in sentence construction, paragraph organization, essay writing, or writing mechanics.
At Knowledge Plus Tutoring, we specialize in providing individualized academic support to students with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and other learning challenges.
During our tutoring sessions, we use structured, multi-sensory methodologies that are tailored to each student’s specific needs. Instruction may focus on foundational decoding skills, reading comprehension, spelling, writing, math, or executive functioning, depending on your child’s areas of difficulty.
Specialized tutoring can complement school-based interventions and provide additional targeted practice and skills development.
Learn about signs your child may need a writing tutor and how specialized instruction can address persistent writing difficulties at 10 Signs Your Child Needs a Writing Tutor (And What to Do Next) - Knowledge Plus Tutoring.
What Should You Do After Your Child’s Parent-Teacher Conference?
After speaking to your child’s teacher, take some time to review and process the information you learned. Assess whether you have a clear understanding of your child’s academic strengths, weaknesses, and the interventions currently being provided.
If your child continues to struggle with reading or writing, you may want to review your child’s academic performance. Look at their recent assignments, teacher feedback, assessment results, and any areas of difficulty.
If your child continues to struggle, you may want to consider an evaluation. If you suspect a learning disability, you can request an evaluation through your child’s public school district. A parent-teacher conference does not take the place of a formal evaluation process.
You might want to also explore specialized tutoring. Individualized instruction can help address persistent skills challenges and reinforce strategies your child is learning at school.
Remember that academic struggles do not reflect a child’s intelligence or potential. With appropriate targeted support, children with learning disabilities can make significant progress and develop greater confidence in their abilities.
Specialized Reading and Writing Tutoring in Boca Raton, Florida
Knowledge Plus Tutoring provides specialized academic tutoring to children who struggle with reading, writing, math, and other learning challenges in Boca Raton and surrounding Palm Beach County communities.
Our one-on-one tutoring programs are highly individualized to each student’s unique learning needs. We focus on building foundational academic skills through structured, multi-sensory instruction, and have expertise in helping students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism, and other learning challenges.
Reading tutoring can address decoding, fluency, spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills. Writing tutoring might focus on sentence structure, paragraph development, essay organization, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
By identifying and targeting specific academic weaknesses through an initial assessment, we can help students effectively develop stronger skills and increased confidence.
Specialized Reading and Writing Tutoring in Orlando, Florida
Knowledge Plus Tutoring also helps students in Orlando, Florida who need specialized tutoring in reading, writing, math, and executive functioning.
Students with learning disabilities often struggle to keep up with classroom expectations, especially as the reading material becomes more complex and writing assignments become longer and more challenging.
For children with dyslexia or reading challenges, tutoring often utilizes the Orton Gillingham approach. For those who have dysgraphia or struggle with writing, instruction may focus on organizing ideas, developing complete sentences, constructing paragraphs and essays, and writing longer, well-organized compositions.
At Knowledge Plus Tutoring, we also help students strengthen their executive functioning skills that can help support reading and writing skills, including organization, planning, focusing, and task completion. We provide targeted academic support that addresses each student’s learning difficulties while helping them become more confident, independent learners.
Can Florida Step Up For Students Scholarship Funds Be Used for Reading and Writing Tutoring?
Florida families who participate in eligible Step Up For Students scholarship programs may be able to use their child’s scholarship funds toward qualifying reading and writing tutoring services. Programs such as the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA) and the Personalized Education Program (PEP) have specific eligibility and purchasing requirements.
While it depends on the scholarship program and their corresponding guidelines, qualifying tutoring services may be an allowable educational expense. Knowledge Plus Tutoring works with Florida families seeking individualized academic tutoring, including those who receive Step Up scholarship funding.
Concluding Remarks: Helping Your Child Build Stronger Reading and Writing Skills
Talking with your child’s teacher is an important step toward understanding their reading and writing difficulties. By asking specific questions, reviewing examples of your child’s work, and discussing progress, you can work together to identify appropriate support.
If your child continues to struggle, consider whether additional assessment, targeted instruction, or specialized tutoring may help address their specific needs. Children with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, and other learning differences can benefit from individualized tutoring that builds foundational skills and strengthens their academic confidence.
Knowledge Plus Tutoring provides individualized reading, writing, math, and executive functioning support to students in Boca Raton, Orlando, and surrounding areas. Contact us to learn more about our approach to helping students strengthen their academic skills.
Frequently Asked Questions About Parent-Teacher Conferences and Learning Challenges
What should I ask my child’s teacher if I suspect dyslexia?
If you think your child may have dyslexia, ask their teacher whether your child struggles with decoding words, reading fluency, spelling, or recognizing common words automatically. You can also ask about any reading assessment results, interventions currently being provided, and whether the teacher would recommend a comprehensive evaluation.
How do I know if my child’s reading difficulties are caused by a learning disability?
Consistent difficulties with decoding, fluency, or spelling can indicate a learning disability such as dyslexia. However, reading challenges can have multiple causes. A comprehensive evaluation can identify whether your child has a learning disability and determine what type of instruction may be most appropriate for them.
Which questions should I ask if my child struggles with writing?
If your child is struggling with writing, ask whether they have difficulty constructing sentences, organizing paragraphs and essays, spelling, using grammar correctly, or completing writing assignments independently. You may also want to ask whether they think handwriting, attention, or executive functioning weaknesses are affecting your child’s writing.
Should I request an evaluation if my child’s teacher says they’re falling behind?
If your child has consistent academic challenges or you think they may have a learning disability, you may want to request an evaluation. You can request one through your child’s public school district.
Can a child have dyslexia and still perform well in school?
Yes. Some children with dyslexia compensate for their reading challenges with their strong verbal abilities, memorization skills, or effort. They may do well in school while continuing to struggle with decoding, spelling, or reading fluency.
Can specialized tutoring help children with dyslexia and dysgraphia?
Yes! Specialized tutoring can help children with dyslexia and dysgraphia develop their reading and writing skills. Students with dyslexia typically benefit from direct, systematic literacy instruction, such as Orton Gillingham tutoring. Students with dysgraphia or writing challenges often need individualized support with handwriting, spelling, sentence construction, paragraph organization, or essay composition. Specialized tutoring should be tailored to each child’s needs.
How often should my child receive specialized reading or writing tutoring?
The tutoring frequency that your child receives should depend on various factors, including their academic needs and severity of challenges. Students with significant reading or writing difficulties often benefit from more frequent weekly instruction. An initial assessment can help determine the appropriate frequency for your child.
Can Step Up For Students scholarship funds cover specialized tutoring in Florida?
Yes! Eligible Florida families may be able to use scholarship funds to pay for qualifying tutoring services, though it depends on your child’s scholarship program and current purchasing guidelines. You should verify eligibility and allowable expenses through Step Up For Students before using scholarship funds for tutoring.
Read more about using Step Up funds for tutoring at Can Step Up For Students Pay for Private Tutoring?
Helping Your Child Build Stronger Reading and Writing Skills
Parent-teacher conferences offer an important chance for you to better understand your child’s academic needs and identify ways to help them excel.
About the Author
Dr. Emily Levy is the executive director of Knowledge Plus Tutoring. She has over twenty years of experience helping students develop their academic and executive functioning skills. She has worked with thousands of students with dyslexia, ADHD, learning disabilities, and other academic challenges.
Dr. Levy is the author of the Strategies for Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Parenting Magazine, The Epoch Times, and Macaroni KID. Read more about Dr. Levy at About Dr. Levy ADHD treatment New York City.
